STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3168

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 13

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 13 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING MEMBERS OF HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT THE CEASEFIRE IN GAZA RESOLUTION INTRODUCED BY UNITED STATES CONGRESSWOMAN CORI BUSH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Urge members of Hawaii's congressional delegation to support the Ceasefire Now Resolution introduced by United States Congresswoman Cori Bush; and

(2) Urge members of Hawaii's congressional delegation to insist that the Biden Administration call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza, to facilitate the de-escalation of hostilities to end the current violence, promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, including fuel, food, water, and medical supplies, and begin negotiations for lasting peace.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management; National Alliance for Filipino Concerns; Americans for Democratic Action Hawaiʻi; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Green Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Workers Center; Veterans for Peace, Hawaii Chapter 113; Our Revolution Hawaii; Rise for Palestine; Showing Up for Racial Justice Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Maui for Palestine; Students and Faculty for Justice in Palestine; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Roots Reborn; AF3IRM Hawaiʻi; Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi; Muslim Association of Hawaii; Jewish Voice for Peace-Hawaiʻi; Faith Action Hawaiʻi; Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church; Interfaith Alliance Hawaiʻi; Ka Lei Maile Alii; Malu ʻĀina; ʻAi Pohaku, and more than five hundred individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that between October 7 and December 2, 2023, armed violence has claimed the lives of more than thirteen thousand Palestinians and some one thousand two hundred Israelis, and wounded tens of thousands more, the vast majority of which were civilians. Your Committee further finds that hundreds of thousands of lives are at imminent risk if a permanent ceasefire is not reached and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay. Your Committee recognizes the urgent need for a ceasefire to alleviate the Israeli government's actions including targeted attacks on hospitals, schools, and places of worship; acts of violence on children and civilians; denial of food, water, fuel, medicine, and other forms of humanitarian assistance.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding that on January 26, 2024, the world's highest court, the International Court of Justice declared that Palestinians in Gaza are facing a plausible genocide;

(2) Inserting language to emphasize the threat of famine that Palestinians face;

(3) Clarifying that the Israeli government is also restricting Gaza's access to medicine;

(4) Clarifying that the United States government has declared Hamas as a terrorist organization;

(5) Adding that the United States government has economic power to halt the war and save Palestinian and Israeli lives;

(6) Clarifying that the President of the United States, in addition to Hawaii's congressional delegation, is urged to publicly call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to continue negotiations for lasting peace;

(7) Adding that certified copies of the Senate Concurrent Resolution be sent to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the United States Senate, Chair of the Republican National Committee, and Governor;

(8) Amending the title in accordance with its amended purpose;

(9) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 13, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 13, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair